UK Indian jailed for murdering wife

Jeskiran Bal will have to serve at least 15 years in jail for brutally murdering his pregnant wife.

An Indian in Britain will serve at least 15 years in jail for murdering his pregnant wife in 2000 after he started an affair with another woman.

On Saturday, a court here reviewed the case of Jeskiran Bal and ordered that he served at least 15 years before he could even apply for release for murdering his 22-year-old wife Marie Bal, at their home in East Ham in east London, according to local media reports.

Bal later dumped his wife's body in a drainage canal, the report added. He was convicted of murder and jailed in April 2002.

"The Indian had been having a 'serious affair' with another woman over a period of several months," Justice Forbes said Saturday.

"Although there was no evidence that the deceased knew about her husband's affair, there was evidence that Jeskiran and the deceased had been quarrelling on the fateful day (March 17, 2000)," Forbes added.

According to the ruling, after his 15-year jail term, Jeskiran will have to first convince the parole board that he no longer poses any risk of harm to the public before he could be set free.